Sunday, December 30, 2007

What's exceptional about Noah Baumbach'sfamiliar and biting follow-up to his exemplary The Squid and the Whale is Nicole Kidman's astute and harshly stinging performance. It's in this fondness for being an auteurial vessel that makes Kidman an amazing performer, her utter ability to throw herself into characters (some of which not particular likable, which is slightly brave in its self for a mega watt movie star who could easily coast it in commercial fare) for the benefit of a gifted, if slightly mad director. Mr. Baumbach, I'm sure, is no Lars von Trier on the crazy department, but his depictions of upper-middle class family strife isn't easy to stomach. Kidman plays Margot, a successful writer, who travels to impending nuptials of estranged sister Pauline (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and loser\boho Malcolm (Jack Black.) Being of the overly judgemental variety, one without a proper filter for the words coming out of her mouth, Margot has plenty to say of this union, and has little qualms about sharing it with whoever will listen. There's elements of Margot at the Wedding that are especially hard to watch and listen to, but what makes the movie work is the chemistry and dynamic of Kidman and Leigh, who even while arguing in their hyper literate way you still see a warm sisterly bond between them; both actors are so lived-in with these roles, that a great sense of history and happiness, and betrayl comes across the entire time. This isn't exactly a better film than The Squid and the Whale-- while there's really no plot, there's a bunch of non-sequiters that take away from the drama (the cutting of tree, Margot's affair, and a strange group of neighbors that feel like an entirely other movie altogether), but it's still a pretty good one. B+

THE GOLDEN COMPASS

Based on the first book of Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy, The Golden Compass feels likes a rehash of The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, other recent fantasy crap (insert name here) and feels overly kid friendly, while the book was quite dark. The Catholic Church made a huge spectacle urging one and all to boycott the film, but it's been so sanitized and focus group approved that seems foolish-- yeah Pullman is an atheist and the church is viewed as the enemy in the book, but director Chris Weitz and New Line Cinema copped out and went the Disney-fied, corn-fed route in telling the not the very original tale of a girl named Lyra (Dakota Blue Richards-- who studied at the Daniel Radcliffe School of Acting apparently), a poor orphaned lass whose given a magical golden compass that holds the key and power to see all. The evil Magisterium, ruled by Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman) wants the compass in order to succeed in evil deeds of ruling the world by censoring it, or something like that. It's far more expansive and morally chilling in Pullman's prose, and there's more of sense of magic as well. Really the only cool thing the movie got right was daemons (which are animal counterparts of one's soul), and Kidman (again) getting her evil on-- the rest of the film seems overly familiar and not particularly exciting. When a climatic polar bear fight can't even parlay any excitement on it's audience, there's no hope at all. Just sleep. C+

ENCHANTED

So a cartoon girl, waiting for her prince, gets tricked and trapped in real world Manhattan thanks to an evil sorceress. It's a cute premise and there's quite a lot of parts of Enchanted where it works, and it's cute and clever and spunky. All the praise really belongs to Amy Adams, who with utmost warmth and absolute sincerity, owns the role of Giselle, the uber-Disney princess. The charm of Enchanted is how it sends up and points out the dated cliches of Disney animated films, but embraces them at the same time. The tone is just right, and James Marsden as her animated Prince Edward is dimly vain yet absolutely appealing, it's just that certain things don't quite register right in the real world, and the overly pat ending and predictable ending makes doesn't serve the good stuff at all. Neither does Susan Sarandon mugging way too hard as the evil Queen Narissa, or the bland Patrick Dempsey as Giselle's live action suitor. But never mind about the film's faults (I just mentioned them, I done), what makes the film is Adams and her un-ironic, deeply committed investment in her character. She emphasizes Giselle's 2-D world view, but never makes her dim, and gradually becomes a modern, resilient 3-D kind of gal. It's refreshing in an era of dark and gloomy films, that Adams is making a habit out of showing complexity and honesty and freshness in good people. This performance and her Oscar-nominated turn in Junebug are the nicest people to inhabit the cinema in quite some time. B-

Today is the day ballots are mailed for the 80th Academy Awards! As we've come into the race (as which it is called) nothing is completely certain-- except the momentum of No Country For Old Men (which is awesome, because the movie is freaking amazing), of course I've been lead astray before, as in two years when Brokeback Mountain was the critical fave and died on arrival thanks to the onslaught of grandstanding by Crash, but whatever. So the time has come by again, and of course I watch and listen and read, like a true obsessive, suspecting the worst possibly for my favorite films, but unquestionably loyal at the same time.

A Few Suggestions, just to keep in mind:

-This has been a good year for musicals, with Sweeney Todd and Hairspray definetly getting some love, but what about I'm Not There (Todd Haynes' challenging, beautifully uncomprising configuration of Bob Dylan), and Once, a little, quiet gem ("Broken Hearted Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy)-- GOLD!

Thursday, December 20, 2007

I'm bewildered that Juno missed the cut for Best Ensemble since I believe it's the best cast in any motion picture this year, but it's kind of an uninteresting line-up this year. Can't judge 3:10 to Yuma or American Gangster on account I haven't seen them yet, but Hairspray and Into the Wild are well made movies but seem to compare (at least acting ensemble wise) to the wonderful interplay of actors in Juno or The Savages, or even I'm Not There for it's sure daring in casting. No Country For Old Men is the only film here that truly has the Academy Award nom sewn up.

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney, Michael Clayton

Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Ryan Gosling, Lars & the Real Girl

Emile Hirsch, Into the Wild

Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises

The Screen Actors Guild clearly is in love is Gosling-- no complaints there, but what I'm most excited about is Mortensen being up there. My only quibble is-- where was the love and support for his amazing performance in A History of Violence, in my opinion, a superior film and one of the perceptive, mind boggling turns by any actor in recent years.

BEST ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Julie Christie, Away From Her

Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose

Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart

Ellen Page, Juno

It really troubles me that actors acknowledged Blanchett for such a silly movie, and one of her least appealing performances when they could have nominated Laura Linney for her excellent work in The Savages. I have a theory of why Linney is getting the proper attention-- perhaps her work her is so natural and so free of actorly tics (no accent, no period setting, no gimmick) that maybe some dismiss the performance because in fact it's so real it doesn't seem like she's acting at all, but embodying an actual person. Shame on you SAG for going with forced artifice over an full-blooded performance.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James

Javier Bardem, No Country For Old Men

Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild

Tommy Lee Jones, No Country For Old Men

Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

This is only catagory I'm actually fairly happy about-- all good choices from good actors, I was happy of the omission of Travolta in drag!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There

Ruby Dee, American Gangster

Catherine Keener, Into the Wild

Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone

Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton

I'm in half support here-- I fully support Keener's inclusion (perhaps a surprise by some) with her "keen" performance in Into the Wild (the film's best), am totally down with Blanchett's Dylan (again proving her Elizabeth nod was all the more undeserving), and Ryan, but where's the love for Kelly MacDonald. I know it's hard to feel sorry for the frontrunning film, but here performance in so strong, why no include?

KIND OF SHOCKING SNUBS: Atonement and Sweeney Todd, which had much Golden Globe love, but none from the actors.

BEST PICTURENo Country For Old Men3:10 to YumaAtonementAway From HerHairsprayJunoMichael ClaytonSweeney ToddThere Will Be BloodZodiacBEST DIRECTOREthan Coen & Joel Coen, No Country For Old Men

BEST ACTORDaniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be BloodBEST ACTRESSJulie Christie, Away From HerBEST SUPPORTING ACTORJavier Bardem, No Country For Old MenBEST SUPPORTING ACTRESSAmy Ryan, Gone Baby GoneBEST ENSEMBLENo Country For Old MenBEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAYJuno- Diablo Cody

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

BEST PICTUREThere Will Be BloodNo Country For Old MenJunoInto the Wild3:10 to YumaKnocked UpBefore the Devil Knows You're DeadAtonementAmerican GangsterEastern PromisesBEST DIRECTORPaul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be BloodNearly a clean sweep here for There Will Be Blood, but for some reason I just don't think the Academy Awards are going to really get it-- they have overlooked Anderson many times before, but maybe this one will really hit.

BEST ACTORDaniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

BEST ACTRESSEllen Page, Juno

BEST SUPPORTING ACTORJavier Bardem, No Country For Old Men

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESSAllison Janney, JunoNice to see this superb actress getting some attention, however since her role in Juno is a bit small, and the Academy's over shadowing of comedic performances, I doubt Janney will really a player-- however her "doctors are sadists-- they like to play God, and watch lesser people scream," line was one of the funniest all year.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAYJuno- Diablo Cody

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAYNo Country For Old Men- Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

BEST FOREIGN FILMBlack BookNot eligible for the Academy Awards-- it was submitted last year and wasn't nominated.

BEST PICTURENo Country For Old MenJunoThere Will Be BloodAtonementMichael ClaytonInto the WildThe Diving Bell & the ButterflyThe Kite RunnerThe Assassination of Jesse JamesCharlie Wilson's WarBEST DIRECTOREthan Coen & Joel Coen, No Country For Old MenBEST ACTORDaniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be BloodBEST ACTRESSJulie Christie, Away From HerBEST SUPPORTING ACTORJavier Bardem, No Country For Old MenBEST SUPPORTING ACTRESSTilda Swinton, Michael ClaytonFinally, someone throws a slight curveball in what is already becoming a boring awards seasons-- none of the choices are bad, but why must every critics group unanimously agree about everything--- BORING!BEST SCREENPLAYJuno- Diablo Cody

BEST PICTURENo Country For Old MenThere Will Be BloodAtonementJunoMichael ClaytonZodiacThe Assassination of Jesse JamesGone Baby GoneThe Diving Bell & the ButterflyInto the WildBEST DIRECTOREthan Coen & Joel Coen, No Country For Old Menrunner-up: Joe Wright, Atonement

BEST ACTORDaniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Bloodrunner-up: George Clooney, Michael Clayton

BEST ACTRESSJulie Christie, Away From Herrunner-up: Ellen Page, Juno

BEST SUPPORTING ACTORJavier Bardem, No Country For Old Menrunner-up: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James

Monday, December 17, 2007

I'm Not There, the anti-biography biopic of Bob Dylan is a multi-layered, fevered dream kalidescopic film that is at once arty and personal and epic in scope. Directed by Todd Haynes, one of the most fearless, innovative and completely original directors working today sets his film about the many persona and moods of Dylan-- he's obsessed and it's a thrilling thing of beauty to watch this, even for a me, a person who knows very little about the world according to Dylan. Played by six different actors, all of whom are capturing a different mood, a different piece of the puzzle of one of the most enigmatic, divisive and thoroughly incandescent artists in popular American culture. What makes this a thrilling motion picture, is that every once of this film is so embroiled in passion, and even parts that confounded me were still viscerally alive-- that as I scratched my head, I was still immersed in it, seduced by the Dylan on the soundtrack, and the technical skill of Haynes' accomplishment.

As a note, Bob Dylan (besides his voice) is never mentioned on screen-- each of the six actors play different characters, all apart of the Dylan style of redefining. He is at first portrayed by Marcus Carl Franklin, an 11-year-old songwriter named Woody Guthrie riding the rails in a vintage suit and a Southern drawl. Franklin is very charming in this performance that I gather is supposed to an impression of Dylan's need for trying out new personalities, even at such an early age. In a representation of his folk leaning early Greenwich Village days, Christian Bale takes the helm as Jack Rollins. Bale ably looks the part of a beatnik singer, hard tempered and soulful-- he comes back too, as Pastor John as a sort of antithesis to Dylan's born again sensibilities. Heath Ledger, playing a Brando-like actor Robbie Clark, who plays Rollins in a movie entitled Grain of Sand, are you with me?

Playing the man in his most pop-culture readiness in Cate Blanchett, who nails the look, the accent and the stature of a musician whose power has reached mainstream and now suffers the backlash of possibly losing ones sense of self. Blanchett is pitch perfect, and it's obvious why she's getting the best in show honors here-- Haynes (along with co-writer Oren Moverman) gave her the most iconic part of his life to cover-- her scenes have a zeal and a sense of fun that carry throughout the movie. Ben Whishaw plays Dylan as a series of interview questions throughout the movie, commenting about the basis and ideals of his music. And finally Richard Gere, in the one place where the film maybe gets a bit too esoteric for it's own good plays Dylan as Billy the Kid, chronicling his outlaw, loner phase. It's beautifully filmed, but a too arch and slow in comparison to the rest of the film.

What makes I'm Not There so incredible to watch as a movie lover is not just Haynes honest and reverent approach to his subject, but the way he injests every bit of his auteur power to represent his life, which I believe is necessary to properly get to pins and needles of a man like Bob Dylan. An ordinary biopic would probably work well, but there has to be a sense of mystery and grandiosity when conquering a subject as complex as this. Haynes artistry is startling, jolting and bursting with energy. And yet even in I'm Not There's trippy acidic universe, it seems authentic to the burstling scene of the 1960s, while artfully referencing classic films at the same-- I've read Haynes say that Fellini was a big influence here.

As much as I'm sure some will hate this film, just because it's so non-linear, and so unique, I don't really have an great argument for them. I felt connected with this film on some primal level that I don't think I can really articulate-- it's a great mood piece, and to me few moments have brought as a much pleasure in a film as when Blanchett along with David Cross (playing Allen Ginsburg) are in front a statue of Jesus, shouting, "Play your early stuff!" It's beautiful. If nothing else look for the cameos by Julianne Moore (as a version of Joan Boaz), Michelle Williams (an Edie Sedgewick clone, giving Sienna Miller's Factory Girl a run for money in two brief scenes,) Bruce Greenwood as a reporter who tries to unglue Blanchett, and most effectively, Charlotte Gainsbourgh as a composite of Dylan's many loves. As is Safe and Far From Heaven, Haynes has made a film of unparallel power and control, and has the balls to make this crazy, out of this world, trippy film work. A-

I am not a very period piece loving kind of guy, the Merchant Ivory, all too refined, stuffier than thou kind of flick has never appealed to me. I can appreciate the better ones, with their grand art direction, pretty photography, and clipped British accents, but by in large I don't care for them. Atonement is not exactly an exception, but it's a film I admire, even slightly respect, even though that yen and passion isn't burning deep inside me. It's a pretty film, well presented and mounted, directed with impeccableprecision by Joe Wright, director of the only Jane Austen film I actually like in 2005's Pride & Prejudice, but save for a few really good performances and slight tweaks in stuffy refinement (it's a bit more sexual than I thought), it's mostly all surface, pretty surface. And so when the classy decorum cools down, much of all we the audience are left is Dario Marianelli's sublime clickity clack score to smooth out narrative uneasiness.As scripted by Christopher Hampton (Dangerous Liaisons), based on the acclaimed novel by Ian McEwan, Atonement starts out at the illustrious Tallis estate during a crisp summer season. The grounds are hallowed and stately. Eldest daughter Cecilla (KeiraKnightley) basks in the summer heat seemingly spending much of her time jumping into the fountain, while younger sis Briony (SaoirseRonan), at the tender age of 13 is a tightly wound playwright. The early scenes of Atonement are easily the strongest in the film, as it firmly establishes these two sisters and the one man who they both secretly covet-- Robbie (played with ample charisma by James McAvoy in a pure movie star performance), the son of a servant who's jonesing for Cecilla's affections. It's established right from the start that Briony is feverishly jealous of this, which leads to an event that alters all three of their lives and promptly ends childhood for young Briony. A crime is committed and out of jealously and a Shakespearean (if quite naughty) bit of misunderstanding Briony wrongfully accuses Robbie. End of Act One.Years pass as Robbie is imprisoned and then sent off to fight in World War II as a plea bargain, and the love between him and Cecilla surges in that very common The English Patient\Cold Mountain romantic kind of way. This is where Atonement becomes a bit bland, and a tad undernourished. Wright obviously envisioned this sweeping romantic epic, hoping to reduce the audience into butter and melt, but there's an awkwardness to way he stages Robbie's war scenes-- they come across as reverent, but inert. There's a five minute Steadicam tour of war set on the beach from the British retreat from Durkirk that's impressive but disconnecting in it's showy, look-at-me showing the horror of war, yet look how pretty it is.It's a lot more interesting back on the home front where Briony, now as a young adult played with absolute conviction and taciturn solemnity by Romola Garai, beginning to realize the consequences of her sins tries to atone by becoming a nurse as well, just like big sister. Garai, unlike anybody else in the film, is so natural and unglamorous that her quietly pitched Briony presents the reality of silly girl's actions hindering a young woman's development. She's the truth in Atonement, while Knightley is prettily posing as a throwback to 1940s glamour, naturally with a cigarette in toe-- her tortured scene in the green dress waving good to love feels almost iconic because it's utter movie acting, not that there's anything wrong with that. End of Act Two. The third is a mystery, one I won't reveal, but it involves a modern day Briony (now played by Vanessa Redgrave), who apparently has had the same hairdo since the age of 13, again it's Marianelli's score that was at the forefront of my mind.In the end, Atonement is not at a bad, actually in lots of places in quite good, but it has a sort of literary nonchalance about it-- as in well that's pretty good, and romantic, with pretty set pieces, okay...um, yeah I've pretty much forgotten most of it by now. B

Saturday, December 15, 2007

It's hard to remember the last time I saw a comedy so clever, whip-smart, crisply written, wondrously acted and acutely directed. It goes to show that there really aren't stale premises, just stale styling. Written by Diablo Cody with a quick ear for smart dialogue (most of which is entirely quotable) and fresh, engaging characters, and an ensuing generosity of spirit rarely exhibited in movies at all anymore. Her writing is so strong it sparks a sort of simpatico response of director Jason Reitman, (justly made all hip by following this hoot on the heals of the cool Thank You For Smoking), and an engaging ensemble chewing up the words, all lead by an incomparable leading lady in Ellen Page (last seen terrorizing Patrick Wilson in Hard Candy.) What's great about Juno is that it has the ability to have it's own personality without overflowing the quirk factor-- these characters are so fresh because they're regular people, not weirdly disconnected from reality in a Napoleon Dynamite, or even Little Miss Sunshine kind of way. It's sweet and funny and tenderly gets it's laughs and even a few heartstrings moving without ever being too saccharine or manipulative about it, and that's the glory of Juno, how it's perfectly pitched into a sort of everything-will-be-alright crowdpleaser, while also truthfully acknowledging the life-is-a-bitch honesty of growing up.

The story starts with a fateful day when one Juno McGruff (Ellen Page), all of 16, freely and willfully engaged in unprotected intercourse with Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera), out of boredom, ennui, curiosity- whatever. This action leads to her unplanned pregnancy. With equally quick-witted best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), stern father Mac (J.K. Simmons), and strong-minded stepmother Bren (Allison Janney) as tender, if highly pointed support, Juno makes the decision to have the child and give it to a couple, "that totally needs it." The movie delves for a second into the subject of abortion, making acute jokes on both side in a refreshing who cares about politics manner. The search of the perfect couple leads to Mark and Vanessa (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner), an attractive, impossibly well-groomed prospect with fine furnishings and a nursery ready for a paint job.

As the film tours the nine months of Juno's expected, an unexpected maturity takes hold of the film. Just when you think the witty repartee will fall over it's own cleverness, the film slows down a bit, not so much as the comedy suffers, but enough to be impactful on a deeper level. What blossoms is a friendship between Juno and Mark, who bond over graphic horror movies and a yen for music. Mark, stifled by Vanessa's all encompassing need for a child (which Garner plays quite well) takes to Juno in a nicely completely platonic way. And of course Juno and Bleeker who encounter the trials of an unexpectedly interrupted adolescence which develops into a sincere romance, one such rarely expressed in such a youthful film. It brings to mind a bit of Say Anything. What's nice is that no one really gets off the hook here, but no one is really judged either, a testament to the strength of Cody's screenplay.

It would all be clever words on a page however without a leading lady as compelling and enchanting as Ellen Page. She's makes Juno an actual person, instead of a series of idiosyncratic tics. She makes the comedy work by not trying to hard and finally becomes undone by her own wit toward the end and expresses the heart and soul of a young woman looking to be understood by the world. As in Hard Candy, she is immensely watchable and her every line reading carries a sting-- here it's also with a tenderness and heart. Her characterization in my world belongs on the same plane as the girls in Terry Zwigoff's Ghost World-- witty, intelligent, smart-asses looking for direction and a place to fit in. And she's ably supported by Simmons, Janney, and especially Cera, who would come off as nothing but a cipher but proves a delightfully dead-pan yin to Page's yang.

And with Juno, it reinforces my faith in modern comedy and shows a template for a trifecta of three monstrously talented people-- Diablo Cody (whose stripper-cum-hot screenwriter backstory is in itself part of the film's lure), Jason Reitman, and Page. As Juno herself puts it at the end, this film is, "the cheese to my macaroni." A

I love it when critics choices make best picture choices that aren't probable Oscar prospects, especially when I happen to be in awe of said film. I wish Jesse James had more going for it, because it really is an extraordinary film of awe, quiet power.

BEST DIRECTOR

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen, No Country For Old Men

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney, Michael Clayton

As I've mentioned before I don't get the whole Michael Clayton thing, or why Clooney was so rapturously received. It's not bad, I agree it's fairly good, but the film, nor the performance, is hardly the best of anything. I'm in the minority, but there it is.

BEST ACTRESS

Julie Christie, Away From Her

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Written and directed by Tamara Jenkins, whose last film Slums of Beverly Hills (1998) established her as witty auteur, cleverly poking fun at her own pain and embarrassment in a clearly autobiographical story, returns with another story of biting wit that reveals a greater gift for dialogue and a refreshing maturity to a frightening and very real part of growing up. The Savages, aptly named, is about a brother and sister forced to reunite and deal with their father, succumbing rapidly to fits of dementia. The film poses a question-- how does one tenderly car for a man who didn't care for them in youth-- and while never quite answering it, we watch a master class of actors digging deep and pondering it.

Wendy Savage (Laura Linney) is a Manhattan playwright, or rather wannabe playwright, struggling in endless cycles of tedious temp jobs. When Wendy gets a midnight call learning her father Lenny (Philip Bosco) has just written on the bathroom mirror with his own excrement. What to do? She panics and phones professor brother Jon (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and reunites with him after a lengthy estrangement to deal with old man who never gave them the proper care they needed growing up. Jenkins doesn't shy away from the less-than-glowing parts of debilatating seniors when bodies start to give up on themselves, and Bosco gives a tremendous performance adding layers of a man barely there, while never pandering to be lovable in the end. There's no heart to heart reunion with his children, no sappy monologue on a life reflected. Here, as it is a lot in reality, is a man physically and mentally starting to fall apart.

The glory of The Savages however in the relationship between Jon and Wendy, and Linney and Hoffman gives wonderful, natural performances as fiercly intelligent and neurotic individuals each in their different ways hollowed out when connecting with others. Jon is carrying a passionate, but non-commital fling with a Russian student (Cara Seymour), crying whenever she makes him eggs, while Wendy is having a dull affair with a married man (Peter Friedman.)

In the end, however The Savages totally belongs to Laura Linney, who eats up this fleshed out role of a woman quietly falling apart at the seams. Perhaps because of her immense background in the stage, Linney nails every line reading, giving a sharply focused and nuance performance. Fiercly funny and clever, she never over sells anything, but gives a completely naturalistic, sympathetic and in the end, heart breaking portrayl of lonely woman trying to make peace with an abusive father, distant brother, but more so with herself. It's a thing of beauty. A-

Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Hollywood Foreign Press has unleashed a doozy this morning, some choices are inspired in their daring, others just daring in their what the f#%@! Either this movie star rear kisser of an organization was smoking something or I don't know! Atonement leads the pack with 7 nominations!

BEST PICTURE (Drama)

American Gangster

Atonement

Eastern Promises

The Great Debaters

Michael Clayton

No Country For Old Men

There Will Be Blood

Seven nominees this year-- c'mon, HFPA be decisive, this is just crazy, lunacy, madness. Poor Into the Wild seems to be down for the count, while The Great Debaters is clearly the biggest surprise (are we ready for Oprah, Oscar winner!), but as long as my No Country is there, I'm happy...but c'mon, seven freaking nominees.

BEST PICTURE (Musical or Comedy)

Across the Universe

Charlie Wilson's War

Hairspray

Juno

Sweeney Tood

Wow! Oh my God! I one of the few who will rally behind the Across the Universe mention, even though I bet I'll be the only one (shocked I am), but cool, I feel vindicated for so voracously supporting a film that's a best picture contender (well, I know not really.) I still find it hard to fathom that Charlie Wilson's War is a considered a comedy, but whatevs. Sad to see The Savages,I'm Not There, and my beloved Once discarded, and a bit surprised Enchanted lost out but at least my Juno is there to rule the land.

BEST DIRECTOR

Tim Burton- Sweeney Todd

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen- No Country For Old Men

Julian Schnabel- The Diving Bell & the Butterfly

Ridley Scott- American Gangster

Joe Wright- Atonement

BEST ACTOR (Drama)

George Clooney- Michael Clayton

Daniel Day-Lewis- There Will Be Blood

James McAvoy- Atonement

Viggo Mortensen- Eastern Promises

Denzel Washington- American Gangster

So far the only catagory that makes sense, but I would have like to have Emile Hirsch recognized. Mortensen will probably be the only snubbed come Oscar time, but at least he got something- Eastern Promises is doing pretty well, thought everyone had forgotten already.

BEST ACTRESS (Drama)

Cate Blanchett- Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Julie Christie- Away From Her

Jodie Foster- The Brave One

Angelina Jolie- A Mighty Heart

Keira Knightley- Atonement

As expected, I suspose, just a rather dull category, and nominating Cate Blanchett for such a stupid movie just seems like typical HFPA ass kissing.

BEST ACTOR (Musical or Comedy)

Johnny Depp- Sweeney Todd

Ryan Gosling- Lars & the Real Girl

Tom Hanks- Charlie Wilson's War

Philip Seymour Hoffman- The Savages

John C. Rielly- Walk Hard

Not too bad I suspose-- John C. Rielly is the only surprise, but he's a lot better than my fear-- Jack Nicholson for The Bucket List, which looks awful-- how it NBR's top ten list I never want to know the answer to.

BEST ACTRESS (Musical or Comedy)Amy Adams- Enchanted

Nikki Blonsky- Hairspray

Helena Bonham Carter- Sweeney Todd

Marion Cotillard- La Vie en Rose

Ellen Page- Juno

Why does everyone so far keep dismissing Laura Linney's wonderful work in The Savages, her partner Hoffman gets a nomination, but why not Linney-- it's her movie, she's great in it arrrgh! Amidst my bitterness, yay Ellen Page, go Juno!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Casey Affleck- The Assassination of Jesse James

Javier Bardem- No Country For Old Men

Philip Seymour Hoffman- Charlie Wilson's War

John Travolta- Hairspray

Tom Wilkinson- Michael Clayton

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett- I'm Not There

Julia Roberts- Charlie Wilson's War

Saoirse Ronan- Atonement

Amy Ryan- Gone Baby Gone

Tilda Swinton- Michael Clayton

Julia Roberts is the only shock-- and not really much of one-- the Globes love stars. Would have been real great to see Kelly MacDonald get some kudos for No Country, though.

BEST SCREENPLAY

Atonement- Christopher Hampton

Charlie Wilson's War- Aaron Sorkin

The Diving Bell & the Butterfly- Ronald Harwood

Juno- Diablo CodyNo Country For Old Men- Ethan Coen & Joel Coen

BEST FOREIGN FILM

4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days

The Diving Bell & the Butterfly

The Kite Runner

Lust, Caution

Persepolis

I wasn't aware The Kite Runner was a foreign film!?!?!

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Bee Movie

Ratatouille

The Simpsons Movie

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Atonement- Dario Marianelli

Eastern Promises- Howard Shore

Grace Is Gone- Clint Eastwood

Into the Wild- Michael Brook, Kaki King & Eddie Vedder

The Kite Runner- Alberto Iglesias

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"Despedida," Love in the Time of the Cholera

"Grace Is Gone," Grace Is Gone

"Guaranteed," Into the Wild

"That's How You Know," Enchanted

"Walk Hard," Walk Hard

And there are your 2008 Golden Globe nominations! Wow, I think I need a drink...

I saw this film over a month ago, and despite computer problems, have found it difficult to put into words how to sum up one of the finest cinematic experiences I've had at the movies, period. I feel almost intimidated to write about such a film that is so tight and technically magnificent-- a recent second made it even more so. This film, arguably the best two hours the brothers Coen have put upon film, is so precise and delicate, with writing and acting that's so profound and beautifully cobbled from Cormac McCarthy's novel, it seems almost pointless to go on. After a string of forgettable, nondescript (a word I never thought would be adequate for the Coen Brothers)-- IntolerableCruelty, TheLadykillers-- they return with a darker, deeper, quietly poetic, sharply funny and observed morality thriller that reinforces that great movies can still get made and artistic visions can still come about without compromise. Simply said, No Country For Old Men, without getting all hyperbole about it, is a masterpiece, a film that will likely be studied in film schools for generations to come, analyzing the tight structure, methodical and deeply committed acting from Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Kelly MacDonald, visual astuteness, courtesy of artisan cinematographer Roger Deakins, and the suspense and magic Ethan and Joel Coen bring to screen.

The film opens with the emergence of Anton Chigruh (Javier Bardem), who from the start we can tell is not a very nice man. He's arrested, and while waiting in a chair, quietly focused, handcuffed, he slowly moves toward the arresting officer and chokes him with all his might, his face staying perfectly still and the policeman screams and quickly expires-- he's a free man again. From this opening scene, Bardem commands the screen, utterly focused and petrifying in one of the scariest portrayals of cinematic sociopathy ever. The sight of him flipping a coin has haunted my dreams ever sense. The film may be but a month old, but his Chigruh, with the bob haircut and indiscriminate accent, belongs in the pantheons of screen baddies alongside Anthony Hopkins's Hannibal Leckter and Anthony Perkin's Norman Bates. And so No Country begins.

But there's more, so much more-- there's also another man, one not nearly as lethal as Chigruh, but one with a few loose morals. Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin, in far and away the best performance of his career) stumbles upon a site of a bunch cars and dead people surrounding, and also a big suitcase stuffed with cash from a drug deal gone horribly, hideously wrong. He, not a bad guy, just not a very bright one, does what many would probably do and runs off with it back to his trailer to his lovely, adoring wife Carla Jean (Kelly MacDonald), who suspects trouble from the start. Brolin, personally an actor I've never particularly cared for, rises to the occasion here giving a physical and vulnerable performance that anchors the movie, mostly without the benefit of dialogue.

As one would know it Chigruh and Moss become linked, and a chase begins, it's Chigruh money and some small-town hick named Llewelyn is no match for the masterful demonic sadism of a man like Chigruh. Enter Sheriff Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), who's investigating the drug massacre and Chigruh. Bell, whose father was a sheriff as well, is about at the end of the tenure, he presumes, and reflects on the times and his place in the new world of new criminals like Chigruh. It's a deeply soulful, sardonic, and quietly commanding performance, that somehow brings a sense of affection to a film that's very somber and dark.

There's a lot of violence in No Country For Old Men, but of a different quality than the ironic sort in Fargo and Blood Simple-- here it's raw and far more intense. There's a chase sequence between Chigruh and Moss that starts in a dank hotel room and ends several streets away in old school shootout, not unlike the westerns of yore. What the Coens (and Deakins) achieve in sound and light in this meticulous and wondrous sequence is akin to some of the best movie moments I've ever seen. And that's the thing about this exceptional film is that there are so many more of that nature. Far raw emotion, the scene between Carla Jean and Chigruh is almost unbearable to watch, even though no actual violence takes place. MacDonald, a native Scot, pioneering a West Texan accent to a faultless degree turns the screws on your typical suffering wife role and carries the little heart and bundle of hope in this otherwise grim world.

Like Pulp Fiction and A History of Violence, No Country For Old Men is a film so perfectly constructed, so artistically challenging, even beautiful in it's grimness, it quietly rejuvenates one attitudes of modern filmmaking and lulls you into storytelling that's scary and unsettling, but satisfying that you don't realize the effect it's had on you until days, maybe even weeks later, and jolts your enthusiasm for the craft of fine, adult pieces of art. And, of course, from the brothers Coen, conductors of magic, once again. A

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGEWay back in 1998, the first Elizabeth brought the forfront the unmistakle talent of one Cate Blanchett. In the nine years since then, she reinforced that first leading role with an Academy Award (for The Aviator), along with breathlessly ambitious and intelligently played turns in films as varied as Notes on a Scandal, Heaven, The Gift, The Life Aquatic, and The Talented Mr. Ripley. It was surprising in 1998, but ain't news in 2007, and Ms. Blanchett has the misfortune of appearing in a film that's as silly and daffy as a daytime soap opera, (I kept waiting for her evil twin sister to pop out of the corner.) Here the sequel to Elizabeth, also directed by Shekhar Kapur focuses on the middle part of her life through her attempts to find a husband and continuing through the Spanish Armanda, but Kapur reduces everything, even his Elizabeth, to a series of loud, thrashing score beats and pretty costumes decadently parading around nothing. Everything in the film does gravitate toward Blanchett, but here it's almost in an unpleasant way, because even the great actress seems a bit out of it here, knowingly doing a put on for such a lousy script that requires little of her other than screaming about every now and thing. The actors all gravitate toward her as-- Clive Owen's dashing Walter Raleigh (who the film surposes was her one true), Abbie Cornish's handmaiden, even Samantha Morton's Mary Stuart who has no scenes with her at all. It could have been a perfectly mediocre old-time star vehicle, but when the costumes and the filmed sunsets have more depth than anything else, well, sire, you get a D+.RENDITIONDirector Gavin Hood came out of nowhere to pick up the foreign language Oscar last year for his South African gang movie Tsotsi (which I haven't seen, so I won't refute), and now follows with Rendition, an urgingly topical political story about the ramifications of arresting supposed war criminals in prisions outside the U.S., and thus doing what they please. What's maddeningly frustrating about this film, is that there is a great film here, but somewhere, possibly in writer Kelley Sane's hands it loses touch and becomes a fairly manipulative, insanely one-sided, didatic message movie. The basic story is Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally), a chemicals something or other happily married to his knocked wife American wife Isabella (Reese Witherspoon- distressed but in the wrong sort of way) is stopped at the airport due to suspicious phone calls traced from his cell phone that may prove involvement in a suicide attack in Cape Town. The movie pulls a Syriana and follows three stories-- Isabella trying to get answers, which leads her old boyfried Alan Smith (Peter Sarsgaard), now a senator's aid, and Corrine Whitman (Meryl Streep-- still the devil in prada), in charge of this rendition; idealist Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal) who's observing his first rendition on Anwar; and the love story, family drama that leads to the suicide bombing in the first place. It's an ambitious movie, I'll give it that, but not a particularly successful one. It reduces this complex Patriot Act issue as an almost woman's weepie. Like Syriana, I found myself agreeing with what was on screen, but not at all engaged by it, and Streep's icy performance reeks of so much ham, I feel she should give one Oscar back until she learns her lesson. C+BEE MOVIEIt's really not as bad as it looks. Jerry Seinfeld's environmental CG carton is about something but it really doesn't matter much-- the throwaway Seinfeldian moments are the only one I remember. Like Barry B. Benson's (Seinfeld) The Graduate-like dream sequence about falling in love with human friend\bee supporter Vanessa (voiced by Renee Zellweger)-- that's gold. The story is all in quotation marks mostly-- bored Barry fears being burdened by a beleaguering and bourgeois bee existence and travels out of the hive and befriends the beautiful flower girl Vanessa and discovers that honey is being exploited by humans and soughts to save the bee population, but inevitably just destroys it. B-

Obviously been looking forward to There Will Be Blood, but one should know that LAFCA hasn't agreed with the Academy Awards since Schindler's List, way, way back in 1993. Otherwise, it was mostly a foreign affair taking rein with LA filmists with The Diving Bell, 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days, and La Vie en Rose raking up most of the attention. Ever the individualist, No Country For Old Men was completely snubbed.

BEST DIRECTOR

Paul Thomas Anderson- There Will Be Blood

runner-up: Julian Schnabel- The Diving Bell and the Buttefly

BEST ACTOR

Daniel Day-Lewis- There Will Be Blood

runner-up: Frank Langella- Starting Out in the Evening

BEST ACTRESS

Marion Cotillard- La Vie en Rose

runner-up: Anamaria Marinca- 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days

I know she's supposedly great, but I purposely avoided La Vie en Rose just because I hate the whole music biopic, mimic performance thing. I will see it, just because it looks like she's getting an Oscar nomination for it, but I'm waiting til I can properly stomach it. Ray and Walk the Line gave me music biography fatigue syndrome.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Vlad Ivanov- 4 Months, 3 Days & 2 Days

runner-up: Hal Holbrook- Into the Wild

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Ryan- Gone Baby Gone and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

runner-up: Cate Blanchett- I'm Not There

BEST SCREENPLAY

The Savages- Tamara Jenkins

runner-up: There Will Be Blood- Paul Thomas Anderson

Great that The Savages are getting some award attention, now how about some for Laura Linney's superb performance.

BEST FOREIGN FILM

4 Weeks, 3 Months & 2 Days

runner-up: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE (tie)

Persepolis

Ratatouille

BEST SCORE

Once- Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

Please, pretty please don't ghettoize this mesmerizing motion picture simply to music catagories-- they rocked, but the movie as a whole deserves acknowledgement as well.

Top Ten Films (in alphabetical order): The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Atonement, The Bourne Ultamatum, The Bucket List, Into the Wild, Juno, The Kite Runner, Lars and the Real Girl, Michael Clayton, Sweeney Todd

BEST DIRECTOR

Tim Burton- Sweeney Todd

Huge surprise- could it? will it? I'm too huge of a Todd lover to get all worked up, but maybe, just maybe Burton got some of Ed Wood magic going on-- for no I will remain hopefully pessimistic.

BEST ACTOR

George Clooney- Michael Clayton

BEST ACTRESS

Julie Christie- Away From Her

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Casey Affleck- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

This is total catagory fraud (he's a lead), but who cares, as long as this justly lauded performance gets something.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Ryan- Gone Baby Gone

Honestly surprised, by happily-- she did a great job.

BEST ENSEMBLE CAST

No Country For Old Men

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY (tie)

Juno- Diablo CodyLars and the Real Girl- Nancy Oliver

I love me some Juno (a lot more on my new obsession to come), but honestly Lars is a head scratcher.

Top Five Documentaries (in alphabetical order): Darfur Now, In the Shadows of the Moon, Nanking, Taxi to the Darkside, Toots

Wow! No Sicko anywhere in the NBR list!

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Ratatouille

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCES

(male):Emile Hirsch- Into the Wild

(female): Ellen Page- Juno

I truly hope that the wonderously talented Ellen Page doesn't get relegated to the Breakthrough pit of the critics awards, so deserves the awards traction to lead to Oscar, besides her true breakthrough was Hard Candy, which was so creepy and frightening that watching Juno justs proves how amazing she is.

Top Ten Independent Films (in alphabetical order): Away From Her, Great World of Sound, Honeydripper, In the Valley of Elah, A Mighty Heart, The Namesake, Once, The Savages, Starting Out in the Evening, Waitress